


Masquerade

by immistermercury



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: First Meetings, I know, M/M, Sexual Themes, androgynous fred bc why not, author knows nothing about circuses lmao, circus AU, freddie is an aerial hoop dancer, he also does silks and all that good stuff, jim is a fire eater, lily - Freeform, what the fuck, you best believe jim is mesmerised
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:35:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26604568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/immistermercury/pseuds/immistermercury
Summary: “I thought I’d introduce you to the newbie.” The conductor commented, shoving Jim a little to break him from his trance as they approached him. Mercury opened both eyes and suddenly wound both legs around his hoop, sitting upright as comfortably as though he sat on a swing; he studied the boy in front of him curiously, narrowing his eyes just a little.“You’re a clown.” He said, looking him up and down again. “No, no, you’re an acrobat.”“I- I’m a fire performer.” He replied, captivated by the glow behind his dark eyes. “Fire eating, mostly.”“Does it make your mouth hot?” He asked, leaning forward, throwing the muscles in his arms into sharp relief; the smirk on his face was wicked, his attention focused as though his gaze could start a fire like a sunbeam through glass.
Relationships: Jim Hutton/Freddie Mercury
Comments: 8
Kudos: 19





	Masquerade

**Author's Note:**

> I'm straight up not vibing with a single thing I've written recently, I can't seem to get the mood of anything right, so I've tried my best to challenge myself to write something different!

He supposed that it was the dark red lips that he’d noticed first; dark curls tumbled from his scalp, melting into the cool bronze of his skin, but it was the dark red lips that were what drew his eye. He noticed long eyelashes, so obviously enhanced, the lean curve of legs that wound around the hoop from which a lithe body hung upside down, but it was the dark red lips that kept his eye in the dim light of the room, kept him staring, kept him transfixed. 

“Mercury.” The conductor pointed his baton towards the body draped in silk. “There’s such a debate over who he is, and he winds people up by answering to anything that’s directed towards him. But, because I like you, I’ll give you the hint - he’s not a woman.” He chuckled.

One eye, wickedly androgynous, opened, slicked in faux mink and mascara; it winked once and closed again. “You’ve let out my secret, darling.” He drawled.

“I thought I’d introduce you to the newbie.” The conductor commented, shoving Jim a little to break him from his trance as they approached him. Mercury opened both eyes and suddenly wound both legs around his hoop, sitting upright as comfortably as though he sat on a swing; he studied the boy in front of him curiously, narrowing his eyes just a little. 

“You’re a clown.” He said, looking him up and down again. “No, no, you’re an acrobat.”

“I- I’m a fire performer.” He replied, captivated by the glow behind his dark eyes. “Fire eating, mostly.”

“Does it make your mouth hot?” He asked, leaning forward, throwing the muscles in his arms into sharp relief; the smirk on his face was wicked, his attention focused as though his gaze could start a fire like a sunbeam through glass. 

“My- my mouth hot?” He asked, watching him intently. “Well- it’s fire. Of course it makes your mouth hot.”

He smirked widely as the boy took a few more steps towards him, winding his legs around the sides of his hoops teasingly. “I think I should check that.” He leaned in and rested his thumb on his lower lip, pulling it down teasingly. “Blow me.”

“Mercury!” The conductor scolded and he burst out laughing, letting go of his hoop and swinging upside down from the artful curve of his thighs; he extended his arms out, allowing his fingertips to brush the floor with a smirk.

“What’s your name, kid?” Mercury asked, raising a perfectly arched eyebrow, drawn in in black.

“Jim.” He replied quietly, entranced. 

Mercury looked over at the conductor and flashed his most killer smile. “Isn’t he the cutest?” He teased playfully. “I can tell you’re new. Well, darling-” He gripped the hoop in both of his hands and artfully lowered himself to the floor; once his bare feet hit the ground, he seemed a little smaller, though his smile never dimmed. “You haven’t got the name for showbiz.”

The boy watched as he wandered the length of the room, his fingers seizing a pack of cigarettes from the pocket of a suit jacket; he put one between his teeth and smirked wider as he flicked open a Zippo to light it. “Before you say it, darling, I was always going to be the fag thief around here.” He laughed gorgeously as he waltzed past the boy, climbing a length of silk and winding it around his thighs instead. “In more ways than one!”

The conductor smiled, humouring him, and came closer. “I thought you might help us name him.”

“Well, I’m Mercury, and you aren’t woman enough to be Venus.” He closed his lips back around the filter, staining it red, as he looked him up and down again; he started to smirk, looking ever so pleased with himself. “Eros.”

“Eros.” The conductor replied, pleased. “I think it fits wonderfully.”

“What can I say?” He teased, laying back against the silk, held only by his own knowledge of his art. 

“What’s your real name?” Jim - Eros, Mercury couldn’t help but smirk to himself again - asked him, sounding so sweet and innocent. 

“Wouldn’t that be telling you?” He replied, closing his eyes leisurely. “You’ll have to get closer to my belt for that kind of information. You could ruin a man with that.” He laughed. “All you need to know for now, my beautiful darling, is that my name is Mercury, I’m an aerial artiste, and I’ll make you, or I’ll break you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know if you enjoyed this! Thanks for being super patient with me while I delete and rewrite every single chapter of my current fics because I suddenly hate all my writing (ugh) - I hope this makes up for some of it!
> 
> \- Also, I'm 98% sure fire breathing doesn't make your mouth hot but honestly, artistic license


End file.
